No compromise made on minimum wage. Labour Minister will submit his own proposal

The tripartite, made up of the government, employees and unionists, have not reached a compromise on the minimum wage so far, the SITA newswire reported.

While the Labour Ministry proposes an increase of the minimum wage to €580 from this year's €520, employers have suggested a minimum wage of €552,20. Trade unionists, on the other hand, want the minimum wage to increase to €607,80.

“I will submit to the government a proposal with an increase of the minimum wage to €580,” said Labour Minister Ján Richter, as quoted by SITA. He added that the government may approve an even higher minimum wage for 2020.

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The lowest wages in the Visegrad countries have been raised even more drastically, Richter added.

Employers: It is a gamble

Conversely, the Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic (AZZZ SR) said the minister's proposal is a gamble.

“It has been said Europe may experience a recession,” AZZZ SR Vice-president Roman Karlubík told SITA. He stressed that “under no circumstances” should the minimum wage go up radically.